US House panel hearing on court space waste

The federal General Services Administration says it is exploring ways to use Miami's historic downtown federal courthouse that is currently sitting vacant.

A regional GSA official will tell a U.S. House panel Friday that discussions are ongoing regarding the Dyer Courthouse that opened in 1933. The House Oversight and Government Reform panel is holding a hearing on courthouse waste issues at Miami Dade College.

GSA says the initial plan was to house other federal agencies in the Dyer building. Now the agency is looking at other possibilities.

Nearby Miami Dade College is proposing a cultural and educational center for the building.

A new Government Accountability Office audit shows that 33 newer courthouses have some 3.5 million square feet of unused space, costing taxpayers an extra $51 million a year.